Hippity Hop on the Children's Author Blog Hop

This week I am excited to be participating in the Children's Author Blog Hop! For the hop, participating authors answer four identical questions and then invite three more authors to join in the hop. I was thrilled to be invited to participate in the hop by children's book author, Laura Sassi.

Laura’s poems, stories, articles and crafts have appeared in many publications including Highlights for Children, Cricket, Ladybug, Spider, Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr., FamilyFun, and Pack-O-Fun. She has a passion for playing with words and rhyming. Her first (awesome!) picture book, GOODNIGHT, ARK,  is now published by Zonderkidz, a HarperCollins Company. And Laura has a second book, GOODNIGHT, MANGER, slated for publication soon. Laura is represented by Lara Perkins of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Laura writes from her century-old home in New Jersey where she lives with her awesome husband, two adorable kids, and a black cockapoo named Sophie.

Thanks so very much, Laura, for inviting me to join in the hop!  And now for my answers to those four questions:



WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

Right now, I am busy drafting and revising several picture book manuscripts. I tend to hop between manuscripts as I work until my excitement for one really catches fire. Then I work on it in every spare moment I can possibly find, trying to make every word and idea as perfect as I possibly can. Most recently I experienced this intense passion with a manuscript I was drafting about outer space.

HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM OTHER WORKS IN THE GENRE?

I love it when I can give a new twist to a familiar topic. An editor referred to it as a thematic mash up, and I love that description. But I don't want to reveal what the mash up is just yet... :o)

WHY DO YOU WRITE WHAT YOU DO?

I have wanted to write children's books since I was a child. But initially I imagined that I would write chapter books. I think I was one of the few beginning children's writers who thought that picture books would be too hard. In the beginning I wrote many, many manuscripts (short stories, magazine articles, poems and chapter books). And my first picture book efforts were pretty rough, I think. But somehow more and more picture books kept coming out of me and somehow I've turned into a (mainly) picture book writer. (which I love!)

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART ABOUT WRITING?

Sometimes I think the hardest part about writing is staring at a blank page. Or getting to the end. It is so much fun to start revising once I get a rough draft down. But each round of revisions presents its own challenges. Especially when I have a revision request from my agent or my editor and I am trying to get it just right.

And now for the three amazing children's book authors I get to share with you on this hop:

MIKE BOLDT: Mike is one amazing author/illustrator! If you haven't checked out his picture books, 123 VERSUS ABC and COLORS VERSUS SHAPES, then do! They are awesome! Mike has also illustrated several books for children's book author, Helaine Becker. Be sure to check out their latest, ODE TO UNDERWEAR. Yes, Mike is funny, which is why I am so very, very excited that he is illustrating... TIARA SAURUS REX, our upcoming picture book with Bloomsbury. Can't wait till you all get a chance to see Mike's amazing dino beauties! You can visit Mike on the web at http://mikeboldt.ca/ or follow him on Twitter @MikeBoldt.

ROBIN CONSTANTINE: Robin writes YA novels and her debut novel, THE PROMISE OF AMAZING from Balzer + Bray is now available. And her next book, THE SECRETS OF ATTRACTION, is coming soon! Let me tell you, Robin's writing really truly is amazing! I was lucky enough to be in a critique group with Robin when we both lived in New Jersey. At the first meeting I attended, some of Robin's chapters were up for critique. From the moment I started reading, I knew that I was going to be reading Robin's work in print one day. And now that day is here and you can all read her wonderful stories too. Hooray! You can visit Robin on the web at www.robinconstantine.com and you can follow her on Twitter @RConstantine14.

DORINE WHITE: Dorine is a children's author and book reviewer. The first book in her Cleopatra's Legacy series, THE EMERALD RING, was published by Cedar Fort Books. It is an exciting middle fantasy novel that involves ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, and a magic emerald ring. I had the pleasure of meeting Dorine at an SCBWI conference and my son and I had so much fun attending her wonderful book launch for THE EMERALD RING. THE EMERALD RING was a great read-aloud for my then 6-year-old and I to share together and we enjoyed Dorine's sequel, THE RUBY PENDANT equally as much. Both books had so much excitement and suspense (which he and I both love)! My son and I are both looking forward to the next book in the series! You can visit Dorine on the web at www.dorinewhite.com or follow her on Twitter @DorineWhite.

Hope you enjoy checking out all these wonderful authors! Happy Hopping!